MADE OF CLAY

[MARC SELSBY]

ex quovis ligno non fit Mercurius

HAVE YOU EVER TRIED TO MAKE THINGS OUT OF CLAY?

SOME SAY WE WERE MADE THAT WAY.

BUT EVEN GOD IT TOOK ALL DAY

AND IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A MESS WITHOUT DNA.

YUP, CLAY IN YOUR BATHTUB

CLAY IN YOUR HAIR

CLAY IN YOUR FOOD

CLAY – WELL – EVERYWHERE.

BUT ON CRYSTALLINE WORLDS

BEINGS NOT LIKE YOU AND ME

USE CARBON TO MAKE THEIR POTTERY.

IN MATTERS OF SCIENCE THEY USE NO ART:

THEY CHECK THE PERIODIC TABLE BEFORE THEY START.

AND ON THIS CHART YOU WILL SEE

CARBON AND SILICON ARE IN THE SAME FAMILY.

WITH GERMANIUM EYES AND HAIR OF TIN

THEY THINK WITH MINDS MADE OF KAOLIN.

SO WHEN IT’S DONE

AND YOU’VE WORKED QUITE A BIT

WHAT ON EARTH CAN YOU DO WITH IT?

IT CAN SIT ON A SHELF

(UNTIL IT BECOMES HOME FOR AN ELF).

YOU CAN TRY TAKING PHOTOS OR PAINTING A BIT

BUT THAT ONLY SHOWS ONE SIDE OF IT.

IF YOU THINK IT LOOKS LIKE MODERN ART

BETTER GLAZE IT WITH ROSES

SO THEY WON’T ASK “WHAT THOSE IS”.

IF IT LOOKS LIKE SEVRES OR MEISSEN WARE

YOU’VE SURE GOT SOMETHING OF INTEREST THERE.

BUT IF IT TURNS OUT A COMPLETE DISASTER

AND IT HASN'T HARDENED YET INTO PLASTER

CRUNCH IT DOWN AND START AGAIN -

THROUGH THE MUD TO THE STARS ( PER ASPER AD ASTRA).